Meeting Georgia!

My close college friend Brandi (Rosier Anderson) and husband Damon with 9 mo. Georgia came to Birmingham from NC on Monday. Addie and I went up to spend the day with them. This was the first time Brandi and I were able to meet each other's girls, finally!!! She's such a good, calm little girl and so squeezable to hold and kiss. We had a great time together.

Shrugging shoulders...

Reading Paddington Bear (or in Georgia's case, eating Paddington Bear).

odd faces, especially coming from my child.

She's really reaching for things, and this ball was perfect for those little fingers to grasp. She'll be crawling soon!

Illman Cousins

We went up to Huntsville this weekend with the other Montgomery Illmans (Robert, Elizabeth, Morgan, Ella Cate and Preston) to see Grandma and Grandpa Illman and the Smiths (Sara, Philip, Isabelle and Parker) who came over from Arkansas. We had a full house and a great time, especially watching the cousins enjoy each other. 

Parker and his Uncle David.

Parker Smith and Morgan Illman

Grandma Illman getting a big hug from Addie.

David, Morgan and Addie.

This is a typical Addie expression - a little half smile but rather serious.

The birthday people: Ella Cate, Bob, and Isabelle

Isabelle's pretty excited!

Ella Cate and big sister Morgan enjoying the cake. 

Addie loved the cake that Isabelle shared with her!

Isabelle feeding her Daddy.

Ella Cate's 3rd Birthday

Ella Cate turned 3 and we went over to the Illmans to celebrate her birthday. Addie LOVES her cousins and gets so excited when we pull up into their driveway. She also cries if I just stop by to drop something off and don't get her out of the car! (Morgan wasn't home when I was taking pictures).  

Hugging Ella Cate

Hugging Preston.

High-five with Preston.

Ella Cate and Addie.

Ella Cate's birthday dinner.

Toddler-hood

We are definitely in the toddler days, with new things accomplished everyday, more words, and tantrums. 

I don't even know if I can explain...

Addie feeding her doll Stella.

Addie loves to sit in her green chair and read book after book...

She also likes to organize...hmm, wonder where she got that from!

Ella, Coco, and Addie together again.

Addie, Jackson and Ireland

We got to see Jackson and Ireland! 

I haven't seen them since January, when Ireland was 4 months old.

These are my older sister Krista's youngest 2 children. Krista and Chris are in Italy for a 2.5 week 10th anniversary trip, and Chris' parents Buck and Lynn Oliphant have these two for that time period. (The older two, Nathan and Connor, are with Mom and Dad riding out Hurricane Ike in Beaumont!) 

They came over to Columbus, GA to see one of their 7 children graduate from Basic at Fort Benning. So I had all three kids (29, 20, and 11 months - you should have seen the back seat full of kids and carseats!) for the day while Buck and Lynn enjoyed the graduation ceremonies. I took them to my Aunt Pam's house which is nice and big and has a great yard with horses and a friendly dog. We had a great day - it went surprisingly very smoothly! I got all three kids down for naps at the same time, twice! And we all ate lunch together too. 

High-fives with Jackson...

Eskimo kisses with Ireland...

Kisses with Jackson...

Aunt Pam Cone, Addie and Lynn Oliphant

My cousin Mary Kathryn with Ireland at Pam's new piano. Ireland was so proud of herself for making music!

Christian Heritage

Christian Heritage's September newsletter has been published and is on their website. Ranald gives a little blurp about the summer interns. 

U-Haul Theology

I started this blog just to put up pictures of Addie and not begin a philosophical discussion. But here I go, kind of. This article by Jim Hatch (PCA Church Planter guy in STL) was just in byFaith. I struggle with change, with moving...not that we're planning to move, but I just know it's possible in the future and often times try to fight against that. This was helpful for me; and helpful for me also in whatever place God has for me. I know that my life/our lives are to be about glorifying him and building his kingdom and if that's true, then the place shouldn't matter as much as the work God has for me/us to do. This article was a great reminder of that and really refreshing to see the 'why.' Tell me what you think.